After more than two decades since its last running, the Galveston Marathon returned to the streets and seawalls of this Texas port city in 2012 for a Mardi Gras-themed revival of a race that takes runners through the city’s historic Strand district and along the highways that look out onto the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, which runners will be able to see for a several miles toward the end of the race.
From the race starting and finish line area near Galveston’s Stewart Beach Park, the out-and-back course takes runners in the half marathon along a single loop out towards Seawall Boulevard, which was built in the early 20th century to protect the city and its inhabitants following the historic Galveston hurricane of 1900, which cost an estimated 6,000 to 12,000 people their lives.
Heading north along Seawall Boulevard, runners complete a loop consisting of East Beach Drive and Apffel Park Road, a stretch of grassland with few houses or businesses to distract from the views. The grassland continues as runners head north along Seawall Boulevard and turn right onto Boddeker Road. After reaching the turnaround point near the end of Boddeker Road, the course returns to Seawall Boulevard, this time heading south.
